Locked bulls pics and story......

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supersider34

Guest
Here is a link to that story that came out about the 2 bulls in Nevada.
Here is the story....

Dead elk
By Jerry Blair
Elko Daily Free Press

ELKO, Nev. -- Two large bull elk died this past week after their antlers became locked while sparring and a rancher prevented state wildlife officials from attempting to aid the animals.

The elk were reported to the Elko office of the Nevada Department of Wildlife Monday, said Jerry Smith, a wildlife game warden supervisor for Nevada's eastern region.

The two bulls were discovered by a passer-by the day before near Goose Creek in the extreme northeastern corner of Elko County, just a few miles from both the Idaho and Utah state lines.

It was later determined the elk were on land owned by rancher Bud Bedke, whose property is located in all three states.

"We got the message they were locked on Monday, alive and in the field," Smith said. "Our response was to put together a team of biologists and wardens in an attempt to get them unlocked."

That same day, Department of Wildlife biologist Larry Gilbertson met with the rancher, asking for permission to come onto his property in an attempt to separate the elk.

"Mr. Bedke denied our people access ... after quite a bit of discussion," Smith said.

Smith said Bedke apparently is "not happy with management practices up there when it comes to elk in particular."

An attempt to contact Bedke for comment was unsuccessful.

After being denied access, Smith said Department of Wildlife personnel honored Bedke's request not to go onto the ranch and returned to Elko.

"We began to search for a legal means of gaining access to the property with the limited purpose for separating those bulls," Smith said.

After consulting with the Elko district attorney's office and, in turn, with the Nevada Attorney General's office, it became clear Bedke was within his rights to deny access to his ranch, Smith said.

"There's nothing in the law compelling access onto the property against Mr. Bedke's wishes," he said, adding, "private property rights are paramount, as they should be."

By Tuesday, the Department of Wildlife received a report that one of the elk had died, and, by Wednesday, both were dead, still locked together in the same area where they'd been discovered.

Smith stressed that even if the wildlife department had gotten to the elk, there's "no guarantee those bulls would have lived." He added, however, that elk often suffer life-threatening injuries during sparring, so there's "a pretty sure guarantee if they are not separated, they will die."

On Wednesday, the Department of Wildlife's Don Klebenow met with Bedke and his son, Will, to seek permission to retrieve the elk heads.

Elk, as with all wildlife, are considered property of the state. If the Bedkes had processed the animals without a proper tag, they would have been considered in violation of Nevada law, Smith explained.

Without a valid elk tag, the only other alternative for the ranchers would be to allow the dead animals to naturally decompose.

Smith said the Bedkes agreed to allow wildlife personnel to retrieve the elk heads, which will be mounted and used by the department for education purposes.

"We're happy that they chose that option," Smith said.

The larger of the two bulls has an antler point size in the 340 range, and the smaller one is around 300 to 310, Smith said. A 400-point buck is considered record size.

Smith said the Department of Wildlife will continue its investigation into what he said was an extremely rare event.

During his 20 years with the department, he said this was the only time he's aware of that wildlife officials have been asked for their assistance in separating two living elk whose antlers were locked together.

While biologists would have preferred a chance of getting to the elk before they died, Smith described the incident as a "natural habitat event" not in any way caused by the ranchers.

The pic....
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Boy someone needs some pratice on field judging animals. The earlier thread said they guessed the dead bull at 390! and the other one at 375! According to the biologist in this article the larger one 340 and the other 315. Not trying to rip someone I just was excited to see two 380+ bulls hooked together.
 
I'll get the pics for you. I promise these elk are bigger than 310. My family has hunted elk for over 40 years, we have taken plenty of 340 and 350 class bulls. Both of these bulls were bigger than anything we have ever taken. Remeber this is the press yur getting this story from. Probably the same sources dan rather got his stories from. We'll get pictures up and you be the judge.


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and also if you guys didnt notice he said a 400 point "Buck" is a trophy.....but the score doesnt matter awesome pic!
YB
 
No doubt Bozeman....consider the source. 400pt buck..LOL! What's the difference if they where 340 or 380? Can't tell the difference anyway....picture's still pretty rare.
 
Heard today dont know if it is true but a guy was telling me that a couple years ago 7 elk where found shot on this guys ranch. Also said this guy doesn't like elk and they are finding shot elk on his place. Might be a rumor but I just heard that today.

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Great pics, thanks for sharing, but I would say the lower scores look closer. Still wish I had shot them!
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-28-04 AT 01:15PM (MST)[p]Bedke was fined a hefty sum of dollars a few years back for illegally killing elk on his property, hence the spat w/fish&game.
 
Yes spider he was fined pretty hefty for shooting those elk like in the mid ninty's if I remember right. We have one of the bulls he shot, it scored 351. They had a five point last year get tangled up in some of their fence, and just ripped it to Sh*t.Tore up a bunch of fence. It finally cut its juggular on the barwire, they still have the horns with all the barwire wrapped in it. they do need to give him landowners permits, but he does need to try and work with the fish and game. This was a big step back in any progress between the two.


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There was a segment on Eyewitness News (channel 5 out of SLC, UT) last night about this. They had footage of the 2 bulls locked up while they were still alive. They were both vocal, but not as in bugling. It was more as if they were voicing a plight for some help. They then showed a pic much like the one above of them both dead after the 3 days it took for them to expire. Three friggin' days! The guy is a SOB in my book and I don't even know him. When you let your pride get in the way of what's humane, something is definitely wrong. I know, welcome to society. I do think it's an unfortunate tragedy that didn't have to happen. The issue could've easily been resolved one way or another.

What's even more ridiculous, is that they let the Fish & Game go in afterwards and get the heads? Brilliant! Why the hell didn't they allow them to go in earlier and take care of business before letting the animals suffer? The morons!

EG


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"You're welcome at my fire anytime!"
 
I logged on to KSL's website and I watch the video and I can't believe this landowner would let them suffer like that! A sad end to a sad story.

Horn
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-29-04 AT 04:44PM (MST)[p]The guy I talked to is a older guy and the rancher Bedke does not like elk and he does not want them on his place because he feels F&G are managing the herds wrong. He has a dislike for elk that is why he did not care if they got the heads after the fact.
Found the link
http://tv.ksl.com/index.php?nid=8&sid=122606

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Maybe the guy needs to have his head removed! What a prick.

Michael~All Gods creatures welcome... right next to the mashed potatoes and gravy.
 
those are amazing pics. thanks for posting.

even though they're locked, i don't think i'd have the balls to stand that close to them.





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After seeing the live pics it just makes the whole story that much sicker. Those bulls are totally healthy and strong looking when someone discovered them, then who knows how much time elapsed before the pic of them dead in the creek. Be fun to see that rancher get ##### slapped (unfortunately, he could probably kick my ass, so I'd have to send Cass over!)
 
Great pics. Nature is cruel at times. They would have died if they were deep in the timber too. If I were the rancher though, my love for wildlife would have made me save those bulls.

Chef
"I Love Animals...They're Delicious!"
 
Seems like every year you see a story like this, awesome bulls but too bad nature is like that sometimes. :-(
 
I don't get it, if they were close enough to take pics and grab horns,why didn't someone just saw a horn off ?
 
My thoughts that I want to share on this story is not to preach to people, but as we all know, we all (humans and animals) have a set life time before we are born and I do believe that when it's time to go, it's time to go. However, I believe that it was not time for these two bulls to go when they did.

The fact that these two bulls had to die due to some damn law and a rancher that is absolutely disgusting is appalling. As most of us read and watched the video, these bulls would have made a full recovery and would have gone on to see another day. I don't know if I'm sicker to my stomach from the rancher and his arrogance as I am with the Game and Fish department. WHY didn't an officer shoot these Elk and or cut their jugglers? Is there a risk to the officer?, absolutely, however I know I'm willing to take that risk to stop the pain and or free these two bulls. WHY didn't the Game and Fish just shoot the bulls and face the trespassing fine from the rancher? Any decent human being (judge) would have to understand if he/she watched the same video. I'm sure the Game and Fish could have protected themselves on this if all the poaching stories from this rancher are true

I am beside myself on this and this is a perfect example what can happen when as_holes purchase private land and don't care about the well being of animals. Maybe we should notify PETA with this video and the rancher?s name? Maybe we should let them know his sole purpose of letting these animals suffer. Maybe we the hunters could be looked upon by PETA as the good guys in this story for once, when we feel that this was inhumane.

Sorry for the long posting, I just had to throw my thoughts in on this one.
 
My thoughts again!!! They were not the ranchers Elk. Wantful waste and distruction of Wildlife. This is not a misdimeaner. Trophy bull elk i think the fine is 10k . He prevented the game and fish from protecting them. That is what they are paid for (to manage and protect wildlife.... And They could have been saved. And it was not ignorance it was intentional distruction. The rancher did know the consiquences for the elk. Not his elk not his water not his air. It is our right and will to protect the wildlife. Tresspass laws have no effect!!! What if it was two kids drowning. And there was a no tresspassing sign. Then what does the law mean what would a court say if u let them drown. We can help nature and if I had the resources to stop it from happening agin I would .
Rut
 
Please go easy on me, but.....

Let's just say that you walked up on two cougars that were injured.. Would any of you call Game and Fish, or would you walk away thinking, "two less deer slayers!"

Personally, I feel that if these elk NATURALLY got tangled up, then so be it. Yes, it sucks to see two great bulls suffering and dying, but humans had nothing to do with their condition, so I feel that letting those two become eagle and coyote food is a natural part of the process. The elk herd in the area won't be decimated by the loss of these two, and other animals will benifit from their carcasses.. Even though I love hunting, I don't have a problem with losing elk or any other animal to natural processes.

I understand why people get upset over this, and even though I don't agree, I respect everyones thoughts on this one..
 

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